What is NKOTB?

[MarsOlson]

What is NKOTB?
Information about the New Kids on the Block Contest

Contest Info
New Kids on the Block is a contest for those who are new to digital scrapbooking and want to learn more based on quality feedback and constructive critiques from experienced scappers. It is also a chance to meet new friends, become part of the DSP community and belong an alumni group when it's over.

NKOTB runs approximately every 3 months and is a 3 week contest consisting of 3 rounds, 1 challenge per round. Practice versions receive help and feedback from other members in the form of contructive comments.

There are no eliminations or judging for each round, everyone proceeds to the next round. Incomplete rounds (no layout submitted) will not be permitted to continue on. If only Round 1 is completed, you are eligible to try the contest once more as long as the general eligibility requirements are still met. We will have ONE judging round only! At the end of all 3 rounds you may choose your BEST layout from all rounds to move to the Judging gallery. We will announce the top 10 in the NKOTB forum.

Eligibility Requirements
• a member less than 3 months or fewer than 50 layouts posted in the gallery (plain photos, Ploppers, blinkies, class samples, non layout uploads and duplicates such as the 2nd and 3rd versions of the same layout don't count)
• never won a contest where your layout was chosen by judges (drawings and random prizes don't count and neither does coming in second)
• never had a scrapbook layout published in a book or magazine (print or online)
• never completed the New Kids contest. You're only a New Kid once.
• this contest is for true newcomers with little to no experience in digital scrapbooking, but does not exclude those with prior amateur experience in other fields of design, graphic software, photography or paper scrapbooking. Eligibility is by the honour system, so ask yourself if you are truly suitable for this contest and on par with others who have just started digitally scrapping.

Sign-up
There will be a new Sign-up thread started prior to each NKOTB contest. To sign up please add your name to the sign-up thread to introduce yourselves and receive announcements made there. Then email marsolson@shaw.ca with NKOTB in the subject. For prize awards and challenge kits distribution you must include your DSP username, real First and Last name and the email you used to register in the DSP STORE (there is a seperate registration for the store). You will be notified sometime prior to the start of the contest that your sign up info has been received. If you do not receive notification prior to Round 1, please still participate, and your information will be added.

You may sign up to enter any time between when dates are announced until the deadline for Round 1. You must post at least one layout for Round 1 in the NKOTB gallery to continue on. Missed rounds cannot be done later and no challenge kits will be supplied after the end of that round.

Challenges
New Kids on The Block consists of 3 weekly challenges. Each week you will use kits supplied for each round. You will also be given instructions and the requirements that focus on scrapbooking skills. There will be extra challenges designed to help you get around DSP and encourage commenting on others layouts with random prizes awarded to those who participate.

You will have a week to create your layout. You are greatly encouraged to post consecutive versions of your layout, asking for constructive criticism and making changes as you go. This is the most important part of New Kids, receiving and building on constructive feedback. Please upload the new version rather than overwrite the old version so everyone can see the changes. Please don't feel unqualified to comment on each other's layouts even if you are a new member. You can always pass on useful advice you've been given and the process of analyzing someone else's layout will sharpen your eye for your own work.

Post all versions of your layout for each round in that round's gallery. If you choose to do the final judging you will move one layout to the judging gallery.

Final Judging (optional)
Scoring
At the end of the 3 rounds, you may move what you consider your ONE best layout from any version of any round into the judging gallery. If you choose not to advance to judging, you will still benefit from the CC received on practice versions during the contest.

Each judge awards points to only ten layouts, high score wins.

Point System
1st = 5.5
2nd = 4
3rd = 3
remaining top 10 receive 2 pts each

The 1/2 point is to break ties (e.g. 1st + 4th = 7.5 and 2nd + 3rd = 7) Anyone awarded a 1st place by any judge has an advantage.

All the scores from all the judges are added up and high scores win.

Winners Chat and Prizes
The overall winners are calculated and will be announced in the forum and/or a chat at the end of the contest.

There will be prizes for the top 3 winners and also a prize for EVERYONE that completes the contest and moved a layout to the final judging gallery.

Questions!
This contest is for newcomers so we expect all sorts of questions. If you get stuck on something, don't hesitate to ask. There'll be a Question thread for each contest. Remember to include your software and version when you post a question.

Have Fun!